The “Fiorita” is a decorative carpet created every year to furnish the Sanctuary at Colle di Compito in celebration of Corpus Domini in the Church calendar. This year, i twill remain in place throughout the month of July and until mid August.
As the name suggests, the carpet is mainly made of flowers, but also contains sawdust, seeds and other materials. The tradition of making the carpet had in fact been lost for many years until about eighteen years ago, when some young people in the village decided to revive it.
For their first “Fiorita” tthey used designs from previous festyivals, but as years have passed, their designs have grown more elaborate and original, reflecting much painstaking work.
Each year, it takes over a month to realise the “Fiorita” from the original design stage to finally putting the last flore in place.
The work is carried out by a dedicated team of all ages, from the elderly women who cut the flowers, down to the children who offer their moral support and at the same time themselves learn the techniques which although as simple as the tools used to execute them, require great care and expertise.
Every year, the choice of ever more elaborate designs and the continued search for improvement produces a final result that is even grander than the year before, and which more than repays all the effort involved.
For this reason, the people of Colle di Compito invite everyone who whishes to see “Fiorita” to make their way to the village at this time of the year and ask for the Chiesa dell’Immacolata Concezione at Cima di Colle.
You can ask anyone in the village for directions. As the photographs hint, you will not be disappointed.
From the Via di Tiglio in Lucca, take the Strada Statale SS 439 out of Lucca, signposted towrds Pontedera. You will reach Colle di Compito in around 20 minutes by car, (13 kms from Lucca centre.)
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